Cryocoolers are employed to generate refrigeration and to provide that refrigeration for applications such as high temperature superconductivity and magnetic resonance imaging. Failure of the cryocooler can have severe consequences for such application systems. It is desirable therefore to operate a cryocooler so as to avoid the failure of the cryocooler while it is on line.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a method for operating a cryocooler so as to reduce or eliminate the likelihood of the cryocooler failing while it is on line and providing critical refrigeration to an application such as a magnetic resonance imaging system or a high temperature superconductivity application.